Vehicles & Servicing Process to follow buying Used Car, Dumaguete

When I was looking for a used car in Dumaguete a couple of months ago I visited all the main dealerships too see what they had available. Only Hyundai and Kia had second hand cars for sale but they were older cars. I was told by Toyota, Ford and Nissan that they do not sell second hand cars. I ended up buying a 2018 Hyundai Accent that still has another 3.5 years manufacturer’s warranty on it from Facebook market place. The guy I bought it from sells a lot of cars to foreigners. He does all the transfer paperwork at the LTO for you. I can pm his number to you if you want.

 

In my own country I would buy from a dealer because it is likely the vehicle would have been checked (selling a dangerously defective vehicle being a criminal act) and given a warranty of from 3 months to a year (or more if part of the original warranty still exists).

Here you are lucky to get a week's warranty (I was told by one dealer that if the engine blew up as the vehicle just left his garage, he would replace it - but I would be the one to BUY the new engine!). And some places don't check the vehicles at all but wait for the buyer to point out defects and negotiate for their correction. But I imagine main dealers would NOT act like that.

 

hey, just a suggestion. you might try ernie at the smoke test place, first one north of city mall on the north highway. maybe a block or two. he has always been very helpful and has managed to get my paperwork cleared on a number of issues re vehicles. at the least he will probably be able to answer your questions about this. i get my annual paperwork done there and he walks it though for me saving me the time and aggravation.

the place i have seen the most relatively new but used cars posted for sale by foreigners is the bulletin board at why not. if you do buy used you are likely to need a mechanic. after six years here i have found a great mechanic. his name is toto and he operates his business on the national highway right across from the entrance to the airport. he has a sign, "Toto" , on the highway. he is a toyota trained mechanic and very good at dx problems. the negros oriental police use him. just fyi

 

I have bought and successfully registered 2 used cars in the last 5 years.
Make sure any vehicle you buy has an LTO printed "OR" (original receipt) not a zerox, in the sellers name, not the person they bought it from or 3 people ago. Check the OR for any mortgages, this will block the transfer until resolved, this should be resolved by the seller before any money changes hands. Make sure the number stamped on the vheicle frame and engine match the OR. Make sure the color matches the OR. Make sure the license plates match the registration Walk away from any vehicle where the paperwork is not 100%, this is a very common thing here to stick the buyer with nightmare paperwork that takes forever (if ever) to resolve.
Check for a current registration, this can be resolved by the seller and is not a deal breaker.
Before any cash changes hands take all the paperwork to the LTO main office and have them inspect the paperwork, ask them for a list of requirements to transfer ownership. Test drive the vehicle up to Valencia and check for overheating. If you don't know much about cars you should have it inspected by a mechanic. Agree on a price with the seller.
The next step is getting a Deed of Sale from an attorney, they charge for this, sometimes too much. Pay with a manager's check from your bank, don't pay with cash. Make sure you have copies of 2 of your IDs and 2 IDs of the seller, make a lot of copies.
To transfer the with the LTO, you will need smog test, get 10 stencils of the frame and engine numbers, this will save time later. You will need to go to the Dumaguete Police crime lab for inspection which you pay P40 at Landbank and inspection at PNP highway patrol. You need insurance. If you want full coverage insurance go to Commonwealth near the port. The LTO will process the rest of the transfer. It could take several visits or several days to get it all done. I take small bites at it and not try to do it all in one or two days. I do not trust fixers or smog shops to do this, they will mess it up and getting it straightened out is a lot more work than doing it yourself the first time.